Great Do It Yourself Nintendo Character Costume Ideas for Halloween

You don't have to spend a lot of money to look like your favorite Nintendo character this Halloween. Consider creating your own Mario, Peach, Link, Luigi, or Toad costume using some of our excellent suggestions.

slide 1 of 6

What better way to express your love for all things Nintendo than by dressing up as your favorite Nintendo character for Halloween? There are quite a few options out there for those who want to do some trick or treating dressed as Mario or Link, and our guide will help you find some of the best.

slide 2 of 6

Mario and Luigi Costumes

No character screams "Nintendo fan" quite like Mario and his brother Luigi. There are many options for dressing up as the Italian brothers, some more expensive than others. If money is no real concern, you can pick up a full costume (mustache included) for less than fifty bucks online at places like Amazon.com. These elaborate costumes come with everything you'll need to emulate your favorite plumber, including his signature white gloves and red hat.

If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, consider a trip to your local Goodwill. All you really need is a pair of overalls, a red t-shirt, red hat, and some black boots. The gloves are a nice touch if you can find them, but aren't absolutely necessary to pull off the costume. Perhaps the most important piece of the outfit is the signature mustache. If you can't grow one yourself, you may want to invest in a fake one at a costume store.

A do it yourself Luigi is just as easy, just substitute a green shirt for the red one. If you're going as a team, make sure that the taller of the two gets the Luigi costume.

slide 3 of 6

Princess Peach Costume

Like the Mario costume, several versions of the Princess Peach costume can be purchased online at Amazon. They are slightly more elaborate than the Mario outfits, and are therefore a bit more expensive.

The costumes available online tend to have shorter skirts and be more of the "sexy" variety. If you can pull it off (perhaps with the help of a Wii Fit workout), so much the better, but if you're looking for something a little more conservative, you may want to consider the local thrift store.

Pretty much any long, pink dress will fit the bill for this costume. An old bridesmaid dress would be ideal, as what really makes this costume is the accessories. You'll definitely need a tiara, and some long white gloves along with big round earrings will really complete this do it yourself costume.

If you're afraid people still won't recognize you (and you don't have a Mario to accompany you) consider purchasing a Toad plush toy to carry around. It's a funny accessory, and will ensure that everyone knows exactly who you're supposed to be.

slide 4 of 6

Link Costume

Link from the Legend of Zelda series is one of the most recognizable characters from video games, and dressing up like him is sure to make you a hit at any Halloween party. Full costumes are available online, but they tend to be a bit more expensive than the Mario and Peach outfits. It is possible to make a fairly passable version of the Link costume on your own, however, it just takes a little bit of effort.

You'll need a green nightcap (if you can find one, a green Santa hat with the ball removed may work), a brown belt, a white long-sleeved undershirt, a long green overshirt (short sleeved), brown boots, long grey sweatpants or stretch pants, and (most importantly) a sword and shield.

Your sword belt needs to cross your chest diagonally, with the sword strapped to your back. You can buy expensive, accurate Master Sword replicas at Amazon, but if you're on a budget, practically any sword with a scabbard will do, same with the shield.

For extra awesomeness, try and get a friend to dress up as Tingle the fairy (good luck).

slide 5 of 6

Yoshi Costume

If you're looking for something a little less obvious and a bit more creative, consider dressing up as Mario's faithful dinosaur pal, Yoshi. Like the other options here, a full on Yoshi costume (complete with stuffed head and tail) can be purchased online.

This one is a little tougher to do yourself, but if you have some sewing skill and a bit of time, you can probably pull it off. Just remember Yoshi's distinctive red neck ridges, his big white eyes, and, for that extra special touch, his long red tongue.

If you're going the do it yourself route with this one, consider adding a saddle and a plush Mario to your back.

slide 6 of 6

Toad Costume

Of all the ideas on this list, the Toad costume is probably the easiest to make for yourself. The hardest part is the signature mushroom hat, but they can be picked up at various online retailers (including Amazon) and probably at your local costume shop, as well. Other than that, all you really need is a white t-shirt and a vest. Pants are pretty much up to you, but jeans seem to work well if you want to be as comfortable as possible.

If you decide to dress up as toad, be prepared to answer questions with toad's classic line: "I'm sorry, but our princess is in another castle." You can apply it to most situations. If someone asks you to grab them a beverage from the fridge behind you, for example, you can always reply, "I'm sorry, but your beer is in another fridge."

You don't have to break the bank to dress up as your favorite Nintendo character this Halloween. Hopefully these do it yourself tips have given you some idea about how easy it can be to make your own costume. Good luck, and I hope to see you out trick or treating.